Tennessee Chasing 5-Star Texas Commit After Landing Top WR Recruit

Josh Heupel working to flip Easton Royal as Vols add Kesean Bowman to 2026 class.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:52pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic recruiting battle between Tennessee and Texas for the commitment of a top wide receiver prospect, with overlapping planes of crimson, orange, and navy blue.Tennessee's pursuit of 5-star recruit Easton Royal reflects the program's ambitious recruiting strategy under Josh Heupel.Rocky Top Today

Tennessee and head coach Josh Heupel are working to flip 5-star wide receiver Easton Royal from his Texas commitment after recently landing 4-star wideout Kesean Bowman. Royal, the No. 2 receiver in the 2026 class, visited Knoxville and was impressed, saying "Tennessee is a school to look out for" in his recruitment.

Why it matters

Flipping a 5-star recruit from a rival program would be a major coup for Heupel and the Volunteers, who are looking to build on their recent success and continue climbing the ranks of the SEC. Landing both Royal and Bowman would give Tennessee one of the top receiving corps in the country.

The details

Royal, who is currently committed to Texas, took an unofficial visit to Tennessee and came away impressed, saying the program "blew it out of the water." The Vols are making Royal a top priority after securing a commitment from 4-star receiver Kesean Bowman, who decommitted from Oregon to join Tennessee's 2026 class.

  • Royal visited Tennessee in late March 2026.
  • Bowman committed to Tennessee in February 2026 after decommitting from Oregon.

The players

Josh Heupel

The head football coach at the University of Tennessee, leading the Volunteers' efforts to flip 5-star recruit Easton Royal from Texas.

Easton Royal

A 5-star wide receiver prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, currently committed to the University of Texas but being heavily recruited by Tennessee.

Kesean Bowman

A 4-star wide receiver who decommitted from Oregon to join Tennessee's 2026 recruiting class, adding to the Vols' talented receiving corps.

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What they’re saying

“Tennessee is a school to look out for”

— Easton Royal, 5-star wide receiver prospect

What’s next

Royal is still committed to Texas, but Tennessee will continue to push hard to flip him ahead of National Signing Day in 2026.

The takeaway

Josh Heupel and Tennessee are making a strong push to land another elite wide receiver prospect in Easton Royal, building on their recent success in flipping top talent like Kesean Bowman. If the Vols can pull off the flip, it would be a major recruiting victory and further cement their status as an emerging power in the SEC.